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To help you navigate this site, we've invited experts and media personalities to make recommendations and offer insights on NFB films.
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Winter Across Canada (Ages 12-14)This playlist offers a look at what winter in Canada means across the entire country, for in each region, the season brings with it different experiences. -
Tré Armstrong on dance, music and passionWhen asked about my playlist theme, I thought immediately about passion. What drives people? More importantly, why? What is it about our emotions that allow us to do the most daring things and take risks normally ignored? It's fascinating to watch a young boy and girl playing in the park, enjoying the mutual company. The two are ignorant to barriers of colour, language, intellect because all that matters is catching the red ball they are focused on bouncing back and forth. Yet, while the two play, turn your head the other way and witness an adult male and female having a lover's quarrel. Not so ignorant anymore and speaking the same language, they are still passionately involved (even though they're yelling obscenities in public at each other). Okay, so what's the point? The point? Passion is the driving force for many things in life. It is food for the soul. When you eat a piece of passion pie, your energy soars and you feel like you can achieve anything! It's such a great feeling, but when the feeling is lost, it's like the body crashes after a sugar rush. Lethargic, uninterested, undriven. With the young boy and girl above, it was all about the ball. With the older couple, you really never know… when love is involved. What I feel I do know is that without passions, life would be a lot duller. My passion for dance, choreography and acting led me to film and television. When I quit dance at 17, I thought that was the creative end of me forever. Until my candle was relit with a fiery drive, a passion to help others learn to dance in university… All five films in my playlist display the intense passion and vision of the directors, creators and players. From birth to music to dance to death and in between, they explore moving life in unique, captivating ways. Hope you enjoy the selections. I sure did! Bless,A selection by Tré Armstrong
Tré -
Naked Island - Public Service Alerts for a new eraProduced by the National Film Board, Naked Island brings together some of Canada’s most talented animators in a series of 14 super-short and incisive films that expose the dark underbelly of modern-day society. Blending the art of animation with the format of advertising, these filmmakers use wit and satire to address topics from global warming to politics to our obsession with technology. Ranging from Oscar® winners and nominees to emerging talent in animation and fine arts, these filmmakers make bold statements in a variety of styles to create ultimate anti-advertisements that encourage us to stop and think. -
5 Shorts Project - QuébecDiscover films from the very first edition of the 5 Shorts Project! This initiative, launched by the National Film Board of Canada and produced in conjunction with Quebec artist-run centers, brings forth short documentaries entirely shot in digital 4K. Innovative, surprising and thought-provoking, this first edition introduces us to work of 5 talented independent filmmakers. Between 3 and 6 minutes in length, the films were produced by Nathalie Cloutier (NFB) and Catherine Benoît of Spirafilm, a Quebec cooperative dedicated to independent cinema. Involvement with regional artist-run centers is a primordial aspect of the 5 Shorts Project. Active production hubs, these centers share the NFB's goal of fostering quality independent filmmaking while bringing together skilled artists from various disciplines. Enjoy! -
HothouseShort, surprising and always entertaining! Watch a collection of one-minute animated shorts from our Hothouse animation apprenticeship program, past and present. -
Winter Sports MoviesFrom hockey, to tobogganing and skiing, and back to hockey again, here are some films to get you into the spirit of cold days, steaming cups of hot cocoa, snowy landscapes and the grand beauty of Canadian winters. Enjoy!
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Michael P. Farkas Top Picks from Michael P. FarkasIn recognition of Black History Month, Michael P. Farkas is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of our top three favourite films from its Focus on Black Filmmakers channel.
See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks ByBlacks.com Top Picks from Fondation Dynastie Top Picks from Dalton Higgins Top Picks from Ella Cooper -
Ariel Smith (nēhiyaw) National Canadian Film DayIt was a pleasure to curate this programme of Indigenous-made NFB films, with support from the REEL CANADA team, in honour of the ninth annual National Canadian Film Day (NCFD). This year, NCFD is spotlighting films by First Nation, Inuit and Métis filmmakers from Canada. This curated programme includes several NFB titles that you will also find on REEL CANADA’S official 2022 NCFD spotlight list, along with a selection of other NFB films produced between 1968 and 1998, all of which hold historical, artistic and cultural significance in the canon of Indigenous cinema in Canada. These works and the filmmakers behind them forged a path for today's generation of Indigenous filmmakers. Indigenous filmmaking in Canada began at the NFB in 1968 with the formation of the “Indian Film Crew” and the release of Willie Dunn’s Ballad of Crowfoot – often referred to as Canada’s first music video. There are so many great titles to discover here. A personal favourite is the inimitable Clint Alberta’s Deep Inside Clint Star – an unforgettable meditation on sex, life, love, abuse and colonial oppression. These titles also demonstrate the great importance of narrative sovereignty for Indigenous media artists. When Indigenous stories are told by Indigenous filmmakers, the result is authentic, self-determined cultural expression and resonant stories that captivate diverse audiences. Enjoy! -
Adam Symansky Donald Brittain: Writer, filmmaker, storyteller.Working with Brittain Working with Donald Brittain was an adventure. You never knew what each day would bring, and he was a man who believed in the gods of documentary. He knew that on the days when those gods were smiling down on him, magic would happen. But he was also a man who loved to play games. With his love of the military, he would assign rank to his crew and send them off to battle. He recognized the value of games in the creative process. He was a generous filmmaker and was confident enough to accept suggestions from anybody. It's not that he wouldn't be critical, but if you came up with a good idea, he'd use it. And give you full credit. Donald understood that documentary films are made in the cutting room. Every day, he'd go into the editing room and attempt to create structure for his vast amount of footage. And while he was open to suggestions, no one ever knew what direction he planned to take. In those days, all the cutting was done on actual negatives. He'd constantly be going back over his work, and with the most sincere apologies to his cutter, he would insert and remove frames up until the last minute to get the best possible film. Brittain was a diehard Canadian and that coloured all of his work. He knew every stop the CP line made from Montreal to Vancouver. He loved to tackle Canadian history, but only through biography. He wanted to mythologize Canada, and he understood that the best way to do that was through character. He also felt it was his responsibility to punch holes in self-inflated people. So much so that it became a running theme in his films. Writer first, filmmaker second Brittain was a writer first and a filmmaker second. While a shot was being set up, he'd wander off and mumble lines of narration under his breath. He was always trying to work out how to tie everything together, constantly writing the script in his head. He used to spend late nights in the office, working at his typewriter until the words came out just right. And they had to be his words. Heaven forbid he should open a thesaurus. And even though writing didn't always come easily to him, he was good at it. He could paint a scene with words to the extent that you could hear it, smell it. Filmmaking didn't come as naturally to him. In fact, it took 8 or 9 years at the Board before he made a good film. He was hired at the NFB to write the narration for the Canada at War series, and that's where he learned his craft. After that he made Fields of Sacrifice, which is just a brilliant set of poems. Once he got into the groove of making good films, he had a process that was all his own. He would do tons of research, but in the most bizarre way possible. He'd take out books having to do with the period he was filming, but never on the actual subject itself. He was after the surrounding aspects of the story, the historical context in which his story played out. The catch? He rarely did his own research. Rather, he had trusted colleagues and friends do it for him while he read the sports pages… or the comics. Personal favourites One of Brittain's favourite films was Volcano, not only because it got such a big reaction, but because he could identify with Malcolm Lowry. He understood alcoholism. Brittain drank. Sometimes he tried to hide it, but sometimes he was quite open about it. One time, he walked into his hotel room, pointed to a table in the entranceway that housed two bottles of scotch and said, "That's the sign of an alcoholic. You always want to have an unopened bottle, just in case." But while Volcano may have been his favourite, his two most beloved were Paperland and On Guard for Thee, although neither film enjoyed the critical or audience success he had hoped for. Paperland was his way of exacting revenge on an executive producer here at the NFB, while On Guard for Thee, he felt, said something profound about Canada. It was a cautionary tale about loving your police force too much and giving them too much power. As he says in the film, "When everything's secure, no man is safe." And that sentiment pretty much summed up his approach to life. Despite the many years, and many films Brittain directed for the NFB, he never took a job here. He felt if he was tenured, he'd be less creative. He loved baseball, cards and the track too much. He felt that if he had a salary, he would disappear easily into the sidelines of life and never make another film. He had seen it happen to his friends, and he didn't want to follow in that path. So instead, he trudged on and made film after film after film. And as film lovers, we're all the better for it. -
Gil Cardinal The NFB and Indigenous Filmmaking Through The Years (Ages 15-17)Through its singular and long-standing commitment to Indigenous filmmaking, the National Film Board has been instrumental in providing Canadians a rich cultural resource and legacy: a comprehensive body of films inviting us all to share in the Indigenous experience. -
Thomas Waugh, Ezra Winton, Michael Baker Challenge for ChangeFor decades, the bulk of the controversial NFB classic film series Challenge for Change/Société nouvelle has been difficult to access. With the launch of the book Challenge for Change: Activist Documentary at the National Film Board of Canada, as well as this continually expanding online playlist, we, the editors of the book, are delighted to connect works such as The Ballad of Crowfoot, The Children of Fogo Island and VTR St-Jacques with literature that examines their artistry and politics. -
Tracy Paulotte The Fondation Dynastie's top picks, a catalyst for talent in black communitiesIn recognition of Black History Month, The Dynastie Foundation is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of our top three favourite films from its Focus on Black Filmmakers channel See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks from ByBlacks.com Top Picks from Dalton Higgings Top Picks from Ella Cooper Top Picks from Michael P. Farkas -
ByBlacks .com Top picks from guest curator ByBlacks.comIn recognition of Black History Month, ByBlacks.com is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of our top three favourite films from its Focus on Black Filmmakers channel. At ByBlacks.com, we firmly celebrate Black Canadian history all year round, but February is a particularly important time to reach into the archives of our experience to gain perspective on where we’ve come, what’s changed and what’s stayed the same, and where do we go from here.
See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks from Fondation Dynastie Top Picks from Dalton Higgings Top Picks from Ella Cooper Top Picks from Michael P. Farkas -
Ella Cooper Top Picks from Ella CooperIn recognition of Black History Month, Ella Cooper is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of our top three favourite films from its Focus on Black Filmmakers channel. Ella Cooper, founder of Black Women Film Canada!
See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks from Fondation Dynastie Top Picks ByBlacks.com Top Picks from Dalton Higgins Top Picks from Michael P. Farkas -
Dalton Higgins Top Picks from Dalton HigginsIn recognition of Black History Month, Dalton Higgins is proud to be guest curator for the NFB and present a selection of his top three favourite films from our Focus on Black Filmmakers channel.
See more from our Black History Month Curators: Top Picks ByBlacks.com Top Picks from Fondation Dynastie Top Picks from Ella Cooper Top Picks from Michael P. Farkas
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Canada’s Diverse Cultures (Ages 15-17)This playlist is designed to give viewers a glimpse into the immigrant experience in Canada through the eyes of those who lived it, including both the challenges and benefits of integration into mainstream Canadian culture.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
The 1960s: An Explosion of CreativityThe 1960s was a period of great change at the National Film Board (NFB). Filmmakers had embraced direct cinema at the end of the previous decade and would continue to make classic films in this style throughout the 1960s. Animated films would start to win prizes around the world, and the NFB would try its hand at producing feature-length fiction for the first time. Television would play an ever increasing role in the broadcast of NFB films. As in the 1950s, many classic direct cinema films would be made for television. The seminal series Candid Eye would end its run in 1961, but the NFB would continue to produce great direct cinema films such as Colin Low’s The Hutterites for television. The production of feature-length fiction in both English and French came about when filmmakers used the techniques learned in shooting documentary and adapted them to dramatizing events of importance to Canadian society. Don Owen’s Nobody Waved Good-bye started off as a documentary on juvenile delinquency but along the way the filmmaker realized that fiction was the best way to tell this story and shot the film in this way. Experimental film and animated productions really came of age during this decade. NFB filmmakers were recognized around the world for unique styles that contrasted with what was available commercially at the time. Following in the footsteps of animation pioneer Norman McLaren, filmmakers such as Ryan Larkin and Arthur Lipsett gained international reputations for work that refused to conform to conventional filmmaking techniques, thus creating a new type of film. These filmmakers would inspire a generation of Hollywood greats such as Stanley Kubrick and George Lucas. The decade would end with the NFB’s filmmakers tackling society’s problems through the use of film in such series as Challenge for Change.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
The 1950s: Television and the Move to MontrealThe National Film Board was affected by two major factors in the 1950s. The first was the advent of television to Canada. The second involved the move of its operational headquarters from Ottawa to Montreal. Both of these events greatly influenced the type of films produced at the NFB. In September 1952, the audiovisual landscape of Canada was greatly changed with the establishment of the first CBC television stations in Toronto and Montreal. The NFB would start to produce content exclusively for this new medium. The On the Spot series would be the NFB’s first foray into TV production. This series would consist of documentaries running 15 minutes on some aspect of life in Canada. The show was eventually expanded to half-an-hour before being replaced by Perspective, which was a mix of documentaries and dramatic productions on contemporary issues in Canada. This series would run until it was replaced by the seminal groundbreaking series of direct cinema documentaries, Candid Eye. Although by 1955, one-half of all production was for television, the NFB continued to make films for its other traditional markets, including documenting the Canadian visit by Princess Elizabeth in 1951 in Royal Journey, which was released to theatres throughout Canada and would eventually be seen by two million people in over 1,200 cinemas across the country. The move from Ottawa to Montreal was not supported by all concerned in the Federal Government. For one thing, one-quarter of the annual program was derived from sponsored films and since the agencies and departments were in Ottawa, it made sense to stay there. Eventually management realized that it made more sense for the NFB to “detach” itself from the ultra conservative public service in Ottawa. They felt that the best way for the NFB to reinvent itself was to remove itself from Ottawa, which would mean, in practical terms, more autonomy. The emergence of direct cinema and the creation of the French Unit and would go a long way in solidifying the NFB’s reputation as a creator of fascinating innovative documentaries.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
Bill Mason: Beyond the wild, beyond the paddleI never met Bill Mason in person. He left the National Film Board shortly after I arrived but I wish I had had the chance to talk to him about his magnificent films. My first contact with his work was the film Cry of the Wild, which I saw over 30 years ago at a movie theatre in Montreal. I remember the word of mouth for it was incredible. There were television ads promoting it, and all the kids in my neighbourhood were dying to see it. The film grossed over $5 million at the North American box office, and Mason would become known as one of the first environmental filmmakers. But Bill Mason is so much more than Cry of the Wild, even though it is the film that he is most often associated with. Born in Winnipeg, Mason worked as a commercial artist before joining the staff of Crawley films in Ottawa, where he contributed to the animated TV series Tales of the Wizard of Oz. In the early 1960s Mason photographed several sequences of an adaptation of Holling C. Holling's children's book Paddle to the Sea. The NFB saw this footage and invited Mason to make a film. The rest, as they say, is history. Mason worked at the NFB for 20 years (he would occasionally take a sabbatical to paint), creating a multitude of films that highlighted his love of the outdoors. These included the Path of the Paddle series, In Search of the Bowhead Whale and Blake. These films often starred himself, his wife and children and his good friend filmmaker Blake James. Mason would go out with his canoe and a portable camera and shoot for several weeks in some inaccessible part of Canada, emerging with spectacular footage. A perfectionist at heart, his films are all meticulously shot, edited and scored. He was not averse to using older footage if it fit his needs. His last film, Waterwalker, includes footage shot over a 12-year period mixed with newer material. Mason also wrote several books about the outdoors including Song of the Paddle to accompany his film of the same name. Anyone who has seen a Mason film can appreciate his ability to convey his great love of nature through his films. You escape the distractions of the city by simply watching one of his films and enjoying the beauty of the wild while being educated at the same time. What a refreshing change from the sterile documentaries of today that barely scratch the surface or seek to shock rather than inform. Mason's films are a celebration of nature devoid of preachy sermons. By the time he made his last film, Mason had decided to devote his energies full-time to his other passion, painting. The fact that his producers were not interested in distributing Waterwalker theatrically must have helped Mason make up his mind. The NFB wanted to sell the film to television, feeling it had a very limited potential in theatres. Mason felt otherwise, explaining that the big screen was the only place to enjoy this type of film. He left the NFB in 1984 and bought the theatrical distribution rights to Waterwalker. He rented a theatre in Ottawa and showed the film to packed houses. It was a huge hit, which led to screenings across the country. Sadly, Mason died of cancer at the young age of 59 on October 29, 1988. His films were such an important part of Canada's culture that Canada Post unveiled a stamp in his honour ten years later. He may be gone, but he lives on through his films, paintings and books.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
10 great films from the last decade that you may not have seenWith the first decade of this century coming to an end, many people have decided to compile top 10 lists of just about everything under the sun. To change things around a bit, I thought it would be interesting to focus on 10 films that, for the most part, people have not heard of or seen. My formula for choosing these films is very unscientific: They are 10 films produced between 2000 and 2009 that I thoroughly enjoyed. Socially Responsible Films This decade has seen the NFB put an emphasis on films about the environment, as well as documenting many unique biographies of Canadians. It is in our mandate to make socially responsible films, something we have never shied away from over the last 70 years. We have produced our fair share of investigative films in which we ask difficult questions about important subjects, such as war, cloning, violence against women and children’s rights. A great example of this is War Hospital, which takes an unflinching look at a field hospital in Kenya treating victims of the bloody civil war in Sudan. There’s no narration, but there are some incredible images of dedicated medical workers who make a difference and restore dignity to people stuck in chaos. Environment Our concern for the environment is not new. We have been producing films on the planet’s delicate ecosystems since the 1940s. We continue to inform and present the facts as they are, while suggesting concrete solutions. We have made films on famous Canadians since the NFB was created, and this tradition continues. But we also create films on everyday Canadians making a difference. Salvation highlights the work of the Salvation Army in Toronto. Earth to Mouth shows the owners of a farm dedicated to growing Asian vegetables for the country’s kitchens. Okanagan Dreams focuses on young Quebeckers who go pick fruit in British Columbia. The Future Hopefully the next 10 years will bring many new and outstanding films that will make you think, that will promote discussion and change, and that will entertain you. Enjoy…A selection by Albert Ohayon -
Grant Munro O.C. (1923-2017)It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of NFB pioneer animator Grant Munro. Born in Winnipeg in 1923, Grant Munro showed talent as a sculptor and flipbook maker while he was still a teenager. He attended the Musgrove School of Art and the Winnipeg School of Art, and earned an honours diploma from the Ontario College of Art in 1944. His teacher, the painter Franklin Carmichael, one of the illustrious Group of Seven, arranged to have Norman McLaren interview Munro’s class for a position in the Animation Unit at the National Film Board. Munro was hired, joining a group that included George Dunning and René Jodoin, both of whom went on to distinguished careers in animation. Quickly establishing himself as a fine animator of paper cut-outs, Munro worked on a number of musical shorts, notably The Three Blind Mice (1946), with Dunning and another neophyte, Bob Verrall. Soon afterward, Jodoin and Munro left the NFB for Mexico with hopes of making films and art there. When film work didn’t pan out, they returned to Ottawa and Munro took a job as a filmstrip artist for Crawley Films. By 1951, Munro was back at the Board, animating instructional films and acting for McLaren on a pixilation project that eventually became the Oscar-winning Neighbours (1952). This film would become arguably the most well-known NFB production of all time, boasting more than 77,000 theatrical bookings worldwide by 1987. In the late 1950s, Munro departed from the NFB again, this time to pursue an animation career in England. After working with Dunning (the future director of Yellow Submarine) for three years at TV Cartoons, Munro rejoined the NFB in 1961. He worked on My Financial Career, a funny take on the Stephen Leacock short story directed by Gerald Potterton (1962). It was nominated for an Oscar, as was Christmas Cracker (1963), a project with Norman McLaren, Jeff Hale and Gerald Potterton that also starred Munro. McLaren and Munro also collaborated on Canon in 1964. Munro made the trick film Toys in 1966 and the anti-smoking comedy Ashes of Doom in 1970, for which he once again played the leading role. He collaborated with McLaren again from 1976 to 1978, on the Animated Motion series, a five-part introduction to basic film animation techniques. He also directed several documentaries, including Boo Hoo (1975) and See You in the Funny Papers (1983). Munro retired from the NFB in 1988 and was made an officer of the Order of Canada in 2008.A selection by Albert Ohayon
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Vistas Series (Ages 12-14)Vistas is a series of short films on the subject of nationhood. From Halifax to Vancouver, every production studio in the NFB's English Program participated in this project, resulting in 13 unique films from 13 Aboriginal filmmakers.
Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. -
Films for Halloween (Ages 12-14)We put together a collection of NFB films to spook you out for Halloween. Break out the candy and enjoy... though you may want to keep the lights on. Happy Halloween! Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. -
Short Films for the Holidays (Ages 9-11)The holidays are the perfect time to snuggle up with a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a good film. Here are a few films for you and your family to enjoy. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. -
Canada Day (Ages 12-14)This playlist celebrates Canadians and their stories in a playlist dedicated to our national holiday, Canada Day, which takes place on the first of July. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. -
Dance and NFB Films (Ages 12-14)Dance, in all its various forms, has long been a subject of NFB films. Using the camera in various ways, these works explore the possibilities of film to the fullest, offering us interpretations of this most precious art form. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. -
Speak Up! (Ages 18+)This eclectic selection of films all have one thing in common—the power of the public voice. From short animation to documentary, these films all tackle this same topic in different, engaging ways. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. -
World War I Armistice (Ages 12-14)This playlist commemorates Remembrance Day and all the implications it entails, including the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers whose efforts allowed us to live in peace and security. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
LGBTQIA2+ Playlist (Ages 15-17)The purpose of this playlist is to provide people within the LBGTQIA2+ community a way to see themselves represented on screen while introducing those outside the community to the issues faced every day. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. -
United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Ages 15-17)This playlist brings together films that promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
The Role of the English Community in Quebec (Ages 18+)This playlist features some of the most important NFB films about Montreal’s English-speaking community. From documentaries on the history of this community to portraits of its world-renowned artists, these films paint a picture of a thriving culture in constant evolution. -
Human Rights (Ages 12-14)This playlist deals with the inalienable, fundamental rights that all persons are entitled to, regardless of race, ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, family status, or disability. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici.A selection by Albert Ohayon -
100th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (Ages 12-14)The battle of Vimy Ridge represents a turning point in the First World War, but the price of victory was steep. This playlist explores both the battle itself, and the tragic loss felt afterwards. Pour visionner cette sélection en français, cliquez ici. -
Oscar WinnersHere is a list of Oscar-winning films produced by the NFB. Each of these nine films is remarkable in its own way and you can watch them all online for free.
NFB filmmakers have won a few Academy Awards over the years - 12 to be exact. From the astounding Churchill's Island, a gruelling portrait of the Second World War and winner of the first documentary Oscar® ever, to Flamenco at 5:15, a visual and emotional thriller about the art of Flamenco dancing, to Ryan, Chris Landreth's intimate animated interview with the talented Ryan Larkin. Each of these films breaks down barriers and finds new and exciting ways to tell stories. Watch them now.
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How Do They...?Everybody loves a good "how-to" film. Here we've assembled a selection of short films demonstrating how to do everything from getting the centres in chocolates to recycling paper. And as an added bonus, we've included the timeless classic, How to Build an Igloo. -
David Bryant (Godspeed You! Black Emperor)In Quiet Zone, David Bryant and Karl Lemieux take us deep into the world of those who suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity. These “wave refugees” settled in West Virginia around the Green Bank observatory, in an area known as the National Radio Quiet Zone. Combining elements of documentary, film essay and experimental film, Quiet Zone defies genres, weaving together an unusual story in which sound and image distort reality to make the distress and suffering of these people palpable.A selection by David Bryant
Through the use of complex imagery and sound, mind-blowing cinematic moments are born – moments of grace during which viewers witness electromagnetic waves take shape in the environment, travel through walls and invade spaces with their powerful vibrations. Known for their work in the musical group Godspeed You! Black Emperor, David Bryant and Karl Lemieux produced a striking piece of sensory genius.
To mark the film's launch on NFB.ca, musician, recordist and sound designer David Bryant shared with us some of his favourite NFB films, along with personal notes explaining his picks. Discover them below. -
Maurice BlackburnIn 2014, the centennial of the birth of composer and sound designer Maurice Blackburn will provide an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding work of this artist who made his mark in the worlds of symphony, opera and film scoring in Quebec and beyond Canada. Maurice Blackburn, son of a sales rep, was born in the suburb of Saint-Roch, Quebec, on May 22, 1914. His father was of Scottish descent while his mother was French-Canadian. Blackburn studied composition at Université Laval in Quebec City. In 1938, he received one of the Jean Lallemand prizes for his orchestral suite, Les Petites Rues du Vieux-Québec. In 1939, he obtained a scholarship from the Quebec government to study in Paris. However, due to the war, he ended up going to the New England Conservatory in Boston for two years. In 1940, he attended lectures given by Igor Stravinsky at Harvard University. In 1941, the NFB gave him his big break: at the request of ethnologist and screenwriter Marius Barbeau, Blackburn composed the score for the film Maple Sugar Time. His talent was recognized by the NFB and Blackburn accepted a permanent position at the Board, leaving Quebec for the NFB studios in Ottawa to work in music and sound montage. In 1943, on his birthday, he married writer and screenwriter Marthe Morissette, a resident of Quebec. Five years later their only daughter, Esther, was born; adding to her family's multiple talents, she became a science fiction writer. In the 1940s and 1950s, Blackburn won two other scholarships to study in Paris, one from the Quebec government and the other from the Royal Society of Canada. In 1968-1969, the Canada Council for the Arts awarded him funding to complete his film Ciné-crime. He also planned to start Verbération, based on the poetry of writer Anne Hébert. An electroacoustic work completed in 1970, Verbération features the voices of Monique Mercure and Jean Perraud. Although Blackburn is known more for his work as a film score composer for the NFB (in the three genres of animation, documentary and fiction), the majority of his symphonies and operas were conducted by himself or others for radio and television at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Radio-Canada). Between 1938 and 1980, he composed more than 70 works including two opera buffa (comic operas). In 1956, the NFB’s headquarters moved to Montreal. Blackburn is the only composer in Quebec and Canada who worked in film right from the start of his career until his retirement, i.e. from 1942 until 1979. Blackburn was highly sought after by journalists during his lifetime and is considered to be one of Quebec’s, and Canada's, most important film score composers. More than 414 Blackburn titles are listed in SOCAN's repertoire. : titles from Ti-Coq and Mourir à tue-tête to Festin des Morts and À tout prendre—a Claude Jutra production—and most of the films made by producer and screenwriter Anne Claire Poirier at the NFB come to mind. Various events are being organized in Quebec City, Trois-Rivières and Montreal to celebrate Blackburn’s centennial, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of the NFB. This includes events by the Canadian Music Centre, the CBC, the NFB, the Société québécoise de recherche en musique, the Cinémathèque québécoise in Montreal, the Musée de la civilisation in Quebec City, City Hall in Quebec City, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, as well as at Ciné Campus in Trois-Rivières. The Petits Chanteurs choir and orchestra in Trois-Rivières has already marked the occasion and the Vocalys choir is getting ready to do so in the fall, as are a number of magazines and newspapers. In 1983, after obtaining several scholarships, winning various competitions and completing his last soundtrack for the animated film Narcissus in cooperation with animator Norman McLaren, Blackburn was awarded the Albert-Tessier prize by the Quebec government. Maurice Blackburn died at Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal hospital on March 29, 1988.